Randall Susman

Randall Susman is Professor and Chair in the Department of Anatomical Sciences at Stony Brook University. His academic career is centered on the study of early human evolution, with a particular focus on the fossil record and comparative anatomy of apes and humans.

Education:

• PhD, University of Chicago, 1976

Research Interests:
Dr. Susman's research delves into the fossil record of hominid evolution, examining how early hominins transitioned from arboreal to bipedal locomotion. He investigates the ecology and behavior of African apes to draw parallels with early human ancestors. His work also includes comparative morphology of ape and human hands to understand the evolution of precision grasping and tool use.

His studies reveal that bipedalism emerged around 6 million years ago, but arboreal traits persisted for another 4 million years. Tool behavior, evidenced by stone tools and hand morphology, appeared around 2.5 million years ago, coinciding with the emergence of robust australopithecines and early Homo.

Contact:

• Email: randall.susman@stonybrook.edu
• Phone: (631) 444-3125